The Brazilian Court Palm Beach Celebrates 90 Years

November 16, 2016

My favorite thing about living in Miami is that it’s so close to Palm Beach, and this weekend we drove up for a relaxing little getaway. Our favorite place to stay in Palm Beach is The Brazilian Court Hotel. (I wrote about our visit with our two fur babies here.) This year is the 90th anniversary of The Brazilian Court, so I thought it would be fun to pay tribute to this iconic piece of Palm Beach history.

The Brazilian Court Hotel

Since 1926, the hotel has always been a favorite of celebrities, Palm Beach power players, media moguls, and socialites including Gary Cooper, Greta Garbo, Amelia Hearst, Marjorie Merriweather Post, and the Kennedy Family.

The Brazilian Court opened on January 1, 1926 and was built at a cost of $1 million. The architect, Rosario Candela, set out to create an intimate and stylish icon with lush courtyards and classic Mediterranean architecture. He defied the Hollywood theatricality of other Palm Beach hotels which were giant, self-contained complexes of 1,000 rooms or more, designed in traditional Renaissance and Classical styles.

In 1936, Palm Beach society architect Maurice Fatio doubled the hotel in size, adding a south wing and filling out the lot to the Australian Avenue corner. Today the hotel offers 80 units comprised of studios and suites.

By the time Fatio completed his expansion, The Brazilian Court was established as the epicenter of Palm Beach society. Known to locals as a “home away from home,” the hotel is the preferred place for Palm Beachers to house their guests. The matriarch of the Kennedy family, Rose Kennedy, contacted the hotel each year (after negotiating with the manager to secure the previous season’s rates) during the holidays to house her overflow of guests.

I am frequently asked for Palm Beach hotel suggestions, and I always recommend The Brazilian Court. It truly does feel like home away from home. It is intimate and cozy with elegant and spacious rooms, and the courtyard is like having your very own magical Palm Beach backyard. And Café Boulud at The Brazilian Court is one of my favorite restaurants on the island.

One of the best things about the hotel is its location, nestled within a charming neighborhood a stone’s throw from Worth Avenue. Strolling up and down Worth Avenue is one of my favorite things to do in Palm Beach. But I also love a bike ride on the Lake Trail, and The Brazilian Court offer guests the most adorable Lilly Pulitzer-inspired bicycles. I wanted to bring one home!

The Brazilian Court is currently offering a super luxe 90th Anniversary Package, but regular rates are available for much less. In fact, I find them to be the best value on the island. Please visit The Brazilian Court Hotel for additional information. Enjoy your stay!